The serpent has a heart
by Bono Tempest
Summary: Snape actually does have a soft side. A fluffy one-shot because we all have one moment of mushyness. enjoy!


**Hey guys. Just a one-shot, thought I'd try my hand after a particularly mushy scene in the movie I just finished watching. And I felt we needed to see the more sensitive side of dear Severus Snape. He's a human being too!**

**Anyway Enjoy and please review.**

Snape gently closed the front door of Grimauld place, standing still and silent in the front hall for a second and sweeping with legilimency to check that the house really was empty. There was nothing, just blissful silence that worked to soothe his pained soul. Molly had told him he would have the house to himself for the afternoon because they were all shopping for New-Years, but you could never be too sure especially with his precarious status as a spy for both Dumbledore and Voldemort. Silent as the shadows that sat in every corner he turned to the stairs and started to climb up to his solitary room on the third floor.

As he was passing a new mis-matched door on the second floor and single thud had him drawing his wand, curses dancing on his tongue and in his brain. Pushing open the non-descript door with exaggerated cautiousness he growled softly in annoyance. Hermione Granger, the insufferable know-it-all was curled on her back in the only bed in the narrow room, surrounded by book and parchments a quill grasped lightly in her hand which was hanging limply over her stomach. She appeared to be asleep sniffing every once in a while. Snape drew a little closer wondering if she was crying and if so, if he should be going. He absolutely hated dealing with a sniffling female, so much so that the older females in his house warned the first-years of coming to him with their problems. Merlin knew he didn't need the added pressure of worrying over every little breakup and mishap under the sun.

When he was standing over her Snape took notice of her flushed skin and red nose quickly concluding she had a cold and that was the reason as such, she had remained behind while the others went out to Diagon alley. Looking around to check there was no-one watching even though the house was empty, Snape gently placed the back of his hand on the bushy haired Gryffindor's forehead drawing it away quickly as it burned. He wondered at the fact that she was so still and not thrashing about in the clutches of feverish nightmares. He watched quietly as she shivered and shifted onto her side causing the parchments to crumple, her quill floating to the floor curling to preserve the warmth that she must feel she needs. As silently as he came Snape left, hurrying up the last flight of stairs to his room he opened the top drawer of his dresser and pulled out a vial of cold & flu potion. He strode back into Granger's room wondering why he was doing this, he hated the golden trio didn't he?

Snape narrowed his eyes as his more humane side argued adamantly. He may hate Potter's look-a-like father and more often than not he took out his frustration on the green eyed boy, but he didn't _hate_, hate him. Weasley was just incompetent and he didn't have the time for incompetent fools. Granger was the most troublesome of all three, the insistent hand-waving and eagerness to put her senseless self in harm's way for her idiot friends, drove him mad.

So no, he didn't hate them he just dis-liked, scratch that, _severely_ dis-liked the stupid situations they got themselves into.

Snape uncorked the clear vial and sat it on the night-stand, clearing the bed of parchments and books before gently shifting the girl onto her back. He poured the viscous blue liquid into her mouth rubbing her throat to make her swallow. She did and turned into him, burrowing securely into the warmth of his body. A small sigh escaped her throat and Snape let out a hidden smile as he stripped back the patched covers on her bed and tucked her in nice and safe. He felt the forgotten warmth blossom in his chest. He really didn't like teaching kids but that didn't mean he was a heartless bastard. He had his soft spots too. And it just so happened that his soft spot was tucking a child into bed, safe and warm and content. Some of his fondest memories from his child hood, besides the ones of Lily, were when his mother tucked him in at night, kissing his brow, making sure that he was snug and sound and knew that he was loved. Snape backed out of the room turning out the light with a whispered "_Nox_" and small flick of his wand. He closed the door as Granger settled, a soft smile resting on her face.

**Okay guys I'm entering a writing competition and I was wondering whether you guys think I'm up to that standard. I'm honestly not sure and I'd appreciate some feed-back. **

**Thanks :D**

**Bono Tempest  
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